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| Cora's Place in Whitney |
We were a bit late in the season to be visiting, but we finally made it to Cora's Place in Whitney earlier this month -- just before it closed for the season.
But it was well worth the special trip.
Mike Cartwright opened the business this summer to help give Whitney folks a place to relax and visit a bit, while enjoying coffee or a soft drink. Much to our delight he also offers some interesting antiques and wonderful art work by area artists.
When we arrived on Labor Day, there were about a dozen folks relaxing and visiting.
Of particular interest was the remarkable quilt on display in the parlor, upon which were stitched the names of the lady members of the Whitney Church from more than a half century ago. Perhaps they were members of the Women's Society of Christian Service, and we're not sure what year the quilt was finished. Sharon Cripps has recorded the names, and maybe one day soon we'll be able to learn more about this wonderful artifact of Whitney history.
We found of copy of George Simon's "The Big Bands" lying on the coffee table, along with a fine array of other books that are available for checkout to local citizens. A lending library of sorts......a great idea.
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| Naomi Galey and Sharon Cripps (right) admire this historic quilt displayed at Cora's Place. |
Sharon Cripps and Marta Myers were engaged in a conversation about quilting, and the table in the front room was the focal point more conversation. We snapped a few photos during our visit; take a peek in our Whitney Reflections Gallery.
It's been a long time since Whitney has had a gathering place like this, and we hope that when it reopens in the spring that it'll again be warmly welcomed by the community.
To be sure, Whitney will never again be the vibrant community it was in the 1920's and '30's, but we believe it can be more than it is. Mike Cartwright believes it can be, too, and he's done something about it.
For those of you who sojourn into Wyoming from time to time -- here's a challenge. As you may find yourself driving along U.S. 26 through Guernsey -- or perhaps down Wyoming 270 -- take a few minutes to drive through Sunrise, Wyoming. It's only about five minutes from Guernsey, but it's worth the side trip!
We don't know who the folks are who live in Sunrise or nearby Hartville (just east of WY-270) but they've done a wonderful job of sprucing up the village. We're told it was once a mining town that fell on hard times. That's a common story.
Less common is the work those residents obviously have done to re-invent their community, making it a quaint locale and a fun place to visit.
We think Whitney's history is every bit as interesting, and with the addition of Cora's Place along Missouri Street, we may be seeing the first step of another little town that has awakened to some great possibilities.
We plan to be knocking on the door when Cora's Place opens next spring!
